ANTIMENINGITIS SERUM. 

 TUBERCULIN. (kOCH.) 



Recently there has been a remarkable return 

 of confidence in the use of tuberculin as a cura- 

 tive agent in tuberculosis. Koch, its dis- 

 coverer, shortly before his death made the fol- 

 lowing statement: 



"I maintain that its efficacy as a cure is completely 

 proved provided its application be restricted to still 

 curable cases; that is to those not too far advanced 

 and not complicated by streptococci, staphylococci, 

 pneumococci, etc. 



"These processes are almost always accompanied by a 

 rise of temperature and the best way to guard against Temperature 

 the misapplication of tuberculin is to use it in cases in Precautions. 

 which the temperature of the body does not exceed 37° 

 C. (98.6° F.). That tuberculin exercises an exceedingly 

 favorable influence on all such cases and even com- 

 pletely cures them, as a rule, is a fact of which I have 

 completely convinced myself. A number of medical men, 

 who have studied the therapeutic value of tuberculin for 

 years, and have either published their experience or have 

 cornmunicated it to me privately, have arrived at the 

 same result." 



While many specialists advocate the use ol 

 tuberculin even where the temperature runs up 

 to 100° F., all advise the greatest caution in 

 administering tuberculin to febrile cases. 



Dr. Hammer, of Berlin, Germany, has em- 

 ployed tuberculin for six years in the treatment 



of oulmonary phthisis. "The injections were Success 

 '^ , ' , , . , Abroad, 



made in the suprascapular and mtrascapular 



spaces, alternately on the right and left side. 



The skin was disinfected with alcohol, or 



189 



